


A Moment Of Rest

by ACrowByTheNameOfRaven



Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, Bossy Link, Cuddling & Snuggling, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Male Sheik, Platonic Cuddling, Sheik is a Separate Character, Sheik just gives up, Shink, Sleep Deprivation, Stubborn Link, bad habits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 20:11:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20784413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ACrowByTheNameOfRaven/pseuds/ACrowByTheNameOfRaven
Summary: Link convinces Sheik to stay and relax for a while instead of running off to do whatever it is he does. Sheik stays longer than he planned, but he can't quite say the results of this are bad.





	A Moment Of Rest

Lying in the grass outside of the Water Temple, the mass of the stone warp point on one side and Sheik curled up beside him on the other, Link felt truly calm for the first time in… well, quite a while, no matter how you looked at the unnatural passage of time for him. 

Last night, he had arrived at the Water Temple via warp song, only to find Sheik waiting silently for him on the small island above the entrance. Sheik gave him some cryptic advice as usual, though he didn’t have a song to teach the Hero at the time. After, the Sheikah had begun to make his escape with the flash of a Deku Nut, but Link, after much begging and a bit of negotiating, convinced him to stay for a little while. It was well into the night and very cold out when Sheik suggested the Hero get some rest in order to take on the Water Temple tomorrow.

Link, yawning, had agreed, but on one condition; that Sheik stay with him and get some sleep too. Begrudgingly, the Sheikah gave in to Link’s demands, reasoning with himself that the Hero was very stubborn and that the threat that he wouldn’t sleep and would, in fact, charge into the Water Temple right away without any rest, was not empty. 

As they had set up their bedrolls close to each other’s and settled down to get some rest, Sheik reflected on the situation. It had been too long since he had gotten any proper sleep, and though he had spent most of his time awake researching a variety of things he hoped would be useful to the Hero, a Guide couldn’t be very helpful if he was too exhausted to assist the one he was meant to guide. 

Link fell asleep fully expecting the Sheikah to be gone in the morning, leaving no trace of his presence, but when he woke up, the morning sun shining in his eyes, the Hero discovered his expectations couldn’t have been farther from the truth. A weight lay against him, and cracking open an eye, Link discovered that Sheik was curled up beside him, one arm draped carelessly over the Hero’s chest, face snuggled into the crook of his neck, the slow inhale and exhale of breath warming his skin even through the cloth of Link’s undershirt.

As he lay there, his arm trapped under Sheik's body, Link was comforted by the peace of the situation, and resolved to stay as still as possible in order to not disturb the sleeping Sheikah. This was a rare, soft side of Sheik that Link had never seen before and that he doubted he’d get to see again, so he resolved to make the moment last. 

Sheik’s hair tickled Link’s chin, and Link felt disappointment rise up inside him as Sheik shifted, but he was reassured that the Sheikah was not waking up as he snuggled against Link again, mumbling in his sleep. 

Minutes passed. The sunlight crept across the ground. Birds squawked in the distance. Sheik shifted again, and then again, turning his face toward the ground, trying to hide from the brightness in Link’s tunic, but the sunlight had done its job and Sheik drew in a breath and pushed himself up onto his elbows, blinking sleep out of his eyes as he gazed at Link. 

Link smiled softly at the Sheikah, trying to memorize every detail of his angular face before he realized his cowl had come loose. Sheik blushed suddenly, only noticing the lack of fabric due to Link’s staring, and turned away to fix the cloth over his face again before glaring at Link. 

“This is your fault,” Sheik accused in his lilting accent. Link laughed, and Sheik took in the sight of mirth lighting up the Hero’s face as it only occasionally did.  
“My apologies.” Link said, still chuckling. “You looked like you were enjoying it, though. How often exactly do you get the chance to relax, Sheik?”

Sheik shook a hand in a so-so motion, trying to remain vague, but Link grew serious.

“Sheik, really. How often do you get to relax?” 

Avoiding the Hero’s gaze, Sheik shrugged. He felt like a child, having been caught causing trouble. 

“Sheik,” Link scolded. “I should know better than anyone that it’s not a good idea to try and save an entire country without taking a break when a break is needed. You’re supposed to be my Guide, so YOU should know that even better than me.”

Sheik felt a hand settle on his shoulder. Leave now, Impa’s voice echoed in his mind. You cannot grow attached, nor allow him to. The entirety of Hyrule comes before the comfort of one.

“Sheik. Sheik! Are you listening to me?”

Sheik snapped back to reality, crimson eyes snapping up to meet Link’s blue gaze. “Yes, of course.”

Link visibly sighed. “Sheik, if you don’t start resting more often, then I won’t rest either. I will take on every single temple without so much as a nap if you don’t start taking care of yourself more.”  
“Link-”  
“Shush. And I’ll need proof too. Proof that you’re actually getting some sleep.”  
Sheik paused, thinking.  
“That will mean…”  
“Exactly.”

Sheik glared at the Hero, knowing he had lost. Link grinned at him.

“...Very well. How often?”  
“Every night should do.”  
“You’re going to make me come cuddle with you every night?”

Link laughed again at the Sheikah’s indignant exclamation, and Sheik couldn’t help but smile a little under his cowl.  
“I mean, most people do sleep every night.”  
Sheik grumbled a curse under his breath, but he was still smiling. Perhaps sleeping alongside the Hero every night wouldn’t be so bad.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it. I just can't resist some snuggly bois sometimes ok.


End file.
